Texas Leads the Nation in Hunger; 1 in 4 Children in DFW are Food Insecure
More than 6 million Texans face hunger—an increase of 11% from the previous year. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, nearly 1.4 million are food insecure, including over 506,000 children.
DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX, July 28, 2026—North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) and Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) have shared new findings from Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap study, highlighting that Texas remains the most food-insecure state in the nation. In the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area, 1 in 4 children now face hunger and the region ranks fourth in the U.S. for the number of people experiencing hunger.
Texas now has a food insecurity rate of 19.4%, with 6.06 million people facing hunger, up from 5.4 million and 17.6% the previous year. In the 25 DFW counties served by NTFB and TAFB, nearly 1.4 million individuals are food insecure and sadly, 36% of those, or 506,050, are children. The child food insecurity rate went up in all but one of the counties served by the two food banks, which both serve the DFW region as member food banks of Feeding America. Additionally, over 61% of those experiencing hunger in the DFW area live in Dallas and Tarrant Counties.
“As the cost of living continues to outpace household incomes, families across every ZIP code in North Texas are increasingly having to make tough decisions about whether to buy the groceries they need or pay for other essentials, such as gas, rent, medication or utilities,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO the North Texas Food Bank. “With the support of our community, we are committed to ensuring every child, family and older adult has access to the food they need to thrive.”
“Food insecurity remains high across our region, and the continued rise in child food insecurity is especially concerning,” said Julie Butner, President and CEO of Tarrant Area Food Bank. “The latest Map the Meal Gap data confirms what our partners, schools, and community organizations are seeing every day: too many children and families are still facing difficult choices as household costs remain high.”
According to a recent report by the Texas Workforce Commission, the cost of living in Texas continues to climb, driven by higher prices for healthcare, housing, childcare and other necessities. Statewide, more than half of renters are cost-burdened, according to the latest Census data, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent. The same is true for 30% of homeowners due to both the cost of housing and rising insurance rates. Adding to the challenge, gas prices in Texas remain about 45% higher than they were in January and utility-related costs are up nearly 19% over the last year in DFW, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Groceries have risen 2.7% over the last year, according to the USDA, but have skyrocketed between 25% and 30% since 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In response, NTFB and TAFB, through their network of over 1,000 partner pantries and community organizations, collectively provided access to 186 million physical meals last year. Both organizations are under the umbrella of Feeding America, the country’s largest hunger-relief network, comprised of 250-plus food banks nationwide.
Feeding America produces the Map the Meal Gap report, which is the nation’s only annual study providing data and insights on local food insecurity and meal costs. The 2026 report represents hunger in 2024. The study draws from the USDA’s most recent data, which showed that overall food insecurity remained stable but high in 2024, with an especially acute impact on children.
Key findings of the Map the Meal Gap study include:
Hunger in Texas:
- Texas leads the nation, surpassing California for the third consecutive year in the number of people facing food insecurity.
- Texas has a food insecurity rate of 19.4%, with 6.06 million people (1 in 5) facing hunger, up from 17.6% in 2023.
- Texas has a child food insecurity rate of 26.1%, with 1,995,810 children (1 in 4) facing hunger, up from 22.2% and 1 in 5 in 2023.
Hunger in Dallas-Fort Worth:
- The DFW area has the fourth-highest number of people facing hunger in the nation, with a food insecurity rate of 16.2%, up from 15.7% in 2023. DFW is behind only L.A., New York and Houston in terms of hunger.
- An estimated 1,397,790 (1 in 6) people experience food insecurity in the 25 counties served by NTFB and TAFB, an increase of 81,370 from 2023.
- Children account for 36% of those facing hunger in DFW, up from 33% in 2023. A total of 506,050 children (1 in 4) are food insecure in the 25 counties served by NTFB and TAFB, which represents an increase of 64,190 children from 2023.
- That means the number of children facing hunger in DFW is more than the populations of Denton and Plano combined—a comparison that helps illustrate just how large the need is in the metroplex.
- Map the Meal Gap data estimates the cost per meal for those living in the DFW area is $3.46, compared to the Texas average of $3.17.
- In the DFW service area, ~54% of those facing hunger have a family income over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) threshold.
- Dallas County has the 6th largest (503,440 people) and Tarrant County has the 14th largest (358,370 people) food insecure population by county in the country. Over 61% of the nearly 1.4 million people facing hunger in DFW live in Dallas and Tarrant counties. (861,810 out of 1,397,790)
Senior Hunger:
- Texas continued to have the largest number of food insecure seniors (aged 60+) in the nation, with 900,941 seniors facing hunger.
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has a senior (aged 60+) food insecurity rate of 11.5%, with 154,500 seniors facing hunger. That is up from 9.2% and 119,800 in 2023.
- The food insecurity rate for older adults (aged 50-59) in DFW is 15.4%, with 140,000 older adults facing hunger. That is up from 13.2% and 119,500 in 2023.
Food Insecurity by County in North Texas Food Bank’s Service Area
The 12 counties served by North Texas Food Bank have a food insecurity rate of 16.8%, up from 16.2% the previous year. Approximately 796,480 (1 in 6) people face hunger in North Texas, with 36% being children. Approximately 291,310 (1 in 4) children are food insecure in NTFB’s service area, giving the service area a child food insecurity rate of 24.5%, up from 21.6% in 2023. With 11 of the 12 counties NTFB serves seeing an increase in child hunger, meeting the needs of children is critical.
And while the largest number of food-insecure neighbors live in Dallas County (162,830 or 63% of those facing hunger in NTFB’s service area), hunger is also persistent in many rural counties, including Delta and Navarro, which at 19.2% has the highest rate of food insecurity in NTFB’s service area. (Please see fact sheet below with county-level data.)
Food Insecurity by County in Tarrant Area Food Bank’s Service Area
The 13 counties served by the Tarrant Area Food Bank have a food insecurity rate of 15.7%, up from 15.2% the previous year. Approximately 601,310 (1 in 6) people face hunger with 35.7% being children. Approximately 214,740 (nearly 1 in 4) children face hunger in the 13 counties, and the child food insecurity rate is 22.7%.
Food insecurity in TAFB’s service area remains high in both urban and rural counties, including in Hamilton, Erath, Hill, Cooke, Bosque and Palo Pinto, which at 20% has one of the highest food insecurity rates in the region. Child food insecurity remains an especially urgent concern as it increased in every county served by TAFB. The data also shows that the need is not driven by population growth alone. Since 2019, TAFB’s service-area population grew by about 10%, while the number of food-insecure neighbors increased by more than 35%. (Please see fact sheet below with county-level data.)
Impact of SNAP
Of those facing hunger in DFW, ~54% have a family income over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) threshold. For qualifying families, children and seniors, SNAP is one of the nation’s most effective tools for combatting hunger by providing access to nutritious food during difficult times while also boosting the local economy.
New federal changes approved as part of H.R. 1 are shifting more of SNAP’s costs to the states for the first time in the federal program’s history. The first shift occurs October 1, 2026, when Texas will have to cover 75% of SNAP’s administrative costs, up from the 50% it has typically paid. That equates to an additional $117 million per year for Texas, according to Texas Health and Human Services.
The second change is scheduled for October 1, 2027, and is one that NTFB, TAFB and Feeding Texas are urging lawmakers to delay by two years. The shift creates a benefit cost share plan where states will be charged based on their SNAP error rate. Texas currently has an error rate of 9.34%, which means the state would need to fund $709 million annually in SNAP benefits.
A delay in the implementation of this change would provide Texas more time to implement administrative changes to get its error rate down. The error rate is not fraud but instead occurs when the agency or client makes an error that results in over or underpayment of benefits—something that is corrected when it occurs.
A strong SNAP program is critical to meeting the needs of North Texans facing hunger. While NTFB and TAFB provide access to more than 3 million physical meals each week, they are not equipped to support the large number of meals provided by SNAP.
NTFB and TAFB ask the community to take action. Contact your members of Congress and urge them to support a delay in the implementation of the cost share program—something that has already been granted to other states. Use this simple form to send a letter today Urge Congress to delay SNAP cost share.
For more information about the Map the Meal Gap study and food insecurity in the community, please visit FeedingAmerica.org/MaptheMealGap.
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About Tarrant Area Food Bank
TARRANT AREA FOOD BANK (TAFB): One of the largest charitable organizations in its 13-county service area, TAFB provides over 1.25 million nutritious meals weekly and food & nutrition education programs to those facing hunger through its network of 500+ partner agencies, volunteers, and donors. As a member of Feeding America, TAFB empowers communities to alleviate hunger and improve health. For more information, visit www.tafb.org.
About the North Texas Food Bank:
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a leading nonprofit organization that fights hunger and provides children, seniors and families in North Texas access to nutritious food. For over 40 years, we have been at the forefront of hunger relief, committed to ensuring that no one in our community lacks access to healthy food. Our extensive network of 500 food pantries and organizations, volunteers, and donors enables us to deliver more than 110 million nutritious meals annually to those in need. Beyond just addressing hunger, we focus on nourishing lives by offering nutrition education, investing in our network partners, innovating solutions to eliminate hunger and advocating for policies that tackle the root causes of food insecurity.
Our dedication to excellence is reflected in our 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, highlighting our strong governance, integrity, and financial stability. As a proud member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief network, we are committed to ensuring everyone in North Texas has the nourishment needed to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. For more information, visit http://www.ntfb.org/ or connect with us on social media @NorthTexasFoodBank.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger relief organization in the United States. As a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 agency partners, including food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.2 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.FeedingAmerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Contact:
Jared Williams, Tarrant Area Food Bank
VP of External Affairs
Phone: 682-715-9793
Email: jared.williams@tafb.org Kathleen Petty
Kathleen Petty, North Texas Food Bank
VP of External Affairs
Phone: 214-347-9581
Email: kathleen.petty@ntfb.org
Map the Meal Gap 2026 Fact Sheet: Hunger By County
Food Insecurity by County in North Texas Food Bank’s Service Area
| County | 2023 Food Insecurity Rate | 2024 Food Insecurity Rate | 2023
# of Food Insecure |
2024
# of Food Insecure |
2023 Child Food Insecurity Rate | 2024 Child Food Insecurity Rate | 2023
# of Children Food Insecure |
2024
# of Children Food Insecure |
| Collin | 13.5% | 12.9% | 150,550 | 149,550 | 15.6% | 18.4% | 43,770 | 53,040 |
| Dallas | 17.5% | 19.2% | 455,340 | 503,440 | 24.6% | 27.9% | 162,830 | 183,410 |
| Delta | 18.0% | 17.9% | 960 | 970 | 26.9% | 29.5% | 340 | 390 |
| Ellis | 14.2% | 13.8% | 29,050 | 29,390 | 18.9% | 19.8% | 10,210 | 11,130 |
| Fannin | 17.2% | 15.8% | 6,280 | 5,890 | 22.7% | 24.0% | 1,770 | 1,890 |
| Grayson | 16.8% | 16.7% | 23,560 | 23,390 | 23.3% | 27.2% | 7,870 | 9,370 |
| Hopkins | 17.0% | 16.7% | 6,360 | 6,300 | 23.5% | 26.2% | 2,140 | 2,400 |
| Hunt | 17.2% | 17.3% | 18,080 | 18,820 | 23.6% | 25.6% | 6,020 | 6,830 |
| Kaufman | 14.6% | 13.8% | 23,100 | 23,400 | 19.9% | 20% | 9,150 | 9,950 |
| Lamar | 20.1% | 19.2% | 10,130 | 9,720 | 30.4% | 30% | 3,710 | 3,660 |
| Navarro | 19.2% | 20.4% | 10,320 | 11,160 | 25.8% | 28.6% | 3,700 | 4,180 |
| Rockwall | 11.9% | 10.8% | 13,860 | 13,400 | 13.5% | 15.5% | 4,210 | 5,060 |
| NTFB Service Area |
16.1% |
16.8% |
744,370 |
796,480 |
21.6% |
24.5% |
254,420 |
291,310 |
Food Insecurity by County in Tarrant Area Food Bank’s Service Area
| County | 2023 Food Insecurity Rate | 2024 Food Insecurity Rate | 2023
# of Food Insecure |
2024
# of Food Insecure |
2023 Child Food Insecurity Rate | 2024 Child Food Insecurity Rate | 2023
# of Children Food Insecure |
2024
# of Children Food Insecure |
| Bosque | 16.5% | 16.9% | 3,060 | 3,160 | 21.1% | 25.3% | 820 | 980 |
| Cooke | 17.6% | 17.8% | 7,490 | 7,670 | 24.6% | 26.3% | 2,450 | 2,620 |
| Denton | 13.6% | 13.6% | 128,740 | 132,770 | 16.0% | 19.1% | 35,980 | 43,780 |
| Erath | 17.5% | 18.8% | 7,580 | 8,220 | 21.1% | 24.5% | 1,900 | 2,230 |
| Hamilton | 20.0% | 19.8% | 1,660 | 1,660 | 25.0% | 25.3% | 460 | 480 |
| Hill | 17.9% | 18.5% | 6,570 | 6,900 | 24.2% | 26.3% | 2,070 | 2,270 |
| Hood | 14.9% | 14.7% | 9,550 | 9,660 | 18.5% | 22.0% | 2,460 | 2,960 |
| Johnson | 15.6% | 15.7% | 29,370 | 30,790 | 19.4% | 22.1% | 9,470 | 11,100 |
| Palo Pinto | 19.5% | 20.0% | 5,640 | 5,860 | 27.0% | 28.3% | 1,810 | 1,930 |
| Parker | 14.3% | 14.0% | 22,620 | 23,190 | 16.2% | 19.2% | 6,350 | 7,840 |
| Somervell | 13.8% | 14.3% | 1,310 | 1,390 | 16.8% | 21.1% | 350 | 440 |
| Tarrant | 15.8% | 16.5% | 337,350 | 358,370 | 21.9% | 24.4% | 120,050 | 134,220 |
| Wise | 15.4% | 15.6% | 11,110 | 11,670 | 18.4% | 21.1% | 3,270 | 3,890 |
| TAFB Service Area | 15.2% | 157% | 572,050 | 601,310 | 20.1% | 22.7% | 187,440 | 214,740 |